Important Successes

2015 Legislative Successes!

AB 87 (Stone)Peremptory Juror Challenges: Prohibits discrimination against transgender jurors in the jury selection process in California courts. The bill also makes clear that jury selection discrimination based on ethnicity, age, genetic information, or disability is prohibited as well.
——————————————————————————AB 329 (Weber) The California Healthy Youth Act: Would update and strengthen existing law to ensure that students receive HIV prevention education that is accurate, comprehensive, age-appropriate and inclusive. Updates law written over 20 years ago which does not reflect today’s understanding of HIV or address the broader context of HIV, STIs, or pregnancy prevention.AB 329 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————AB 339 (Gordon) Prescription Drug Cost Sharing: Would require insurers to cover medically necessary prescription drugs, including those for which there is no therapeutic equivalent; prohibits placing most or all of the drugs to treat a condition on the highest cost tiers of a formulary; requires formularies to be based on clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed scientific evidence.AB 339 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————AB 418 (Chiu) Termination of Tenancy for Victims of Violent Crime: Reduces the time limit for survivors of domestic violence to give a notice of intent to vacate to the landlord. Reduces the time that the landlord has to return the tenant’s security deposit. Eliminates requirements regarding postvacancy inspections by the landlord.AB 418 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-AB 827 (O’Donnell) Teacher Training on LGBT-supportive Resources: Requires schools to train teachers of grades 7-12 on resources available to support LGBT students. Training must take place every year.AB 827 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-AB 830 (Eggman) Gender Violence: Expands the definition of gender violence to include violence based on sexual orientation and violence based on gender identity. This is particularly important given the extremely high rates of violence against transgender women.AB 830 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-AB 959 (Chiu) LGBT Disparities Reduction Act: Requires some California government agencies to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity that could be used to better address disparities in health and well-being for our communities.AB 959 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-AB 960 (Chiu) Equal Protection of All Families Act: Would allow unmarried people using assisted reproduction to be fully recognized as parents on the same terms as married parents. Would remove the requirement that couples must involve a doctor when using assisted reproduction in order to ensure that the donor is not a parent.AB Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-SB 4 (Lara) Undocumented Kids in Medi-Cal: Lays out a timeline for transitioning undocumented children from limited-scope emergency Medi-Cal into full-scope Medi-Cal; removes the need for yearly renewal.
——————————————————————————-SB 137 (Hernandez) Accurate Provider Directories: Would set standards for provider directories and establish more oversight on accuracy so people know whether their doctor and hospital are in network when they shop for coverage, when they change coverage, or when they try to use their coverage to get care.SB 137 Fact Sheet
——————————————————————————-SB 703 (Leno) State Contracting and Equal Benefits: Ensures that out of state companies that contract with the state of California provide insurance benefits to transgender employees, as is required of companies that operate in California.
——————————————————————————-SB 731 (Leno) Appropriate Placements for Foster Youth: Ensures that placements for foster youth in group homes reflect gender identity. Adds gender identity to the Foster Care Bill of Rights and enables child welfare workers to place a child according to the child’s gender identity.SB 731 Fact Sheet

2013-2014 Legislative Successes!

AB 336 (Ammiano) –Condoms as Evidence: Requires that in any prosecution for disorderly conduct or loitering in public with the intent to commit prostitution, if the possession of one or more condoms is to be introduced as evidence in support of the commission of the crime, specified procedures be followed that are similar to existing law. Permits, if a court finds that such possession is relevant and is not inadmissible, the court to make an order stating what evidence may be introduced. Permits the offering of that specified evidence.

AB 362 (Ting) –Income Tax Exemption: Provides an exemption from state taxes for additional income an employer provides to make up for federal taxes the employee would otherwise pay to add a same-sex partner (and/or their dependents) to their insurance.

AB 496 (Gordon) –Cultural Competency for Healthcare Providers: Appoints a representative of the LGBT community to an existing task force on cultural competency for health care providers; makes clear that cultural competency training should include LGBT issues.

AB 868 (Ammiano) –Family Law Training: Requires that for judges, referees, mediators, and others who perform duties in family law, training include the effects of gender identity and sexual orientation on family law.

AB 966 (Bonta) –Condoms in Prisons: Requires the development of a 5-year plan to make condoms available in prison.

AB 1121 (Atkins) – Accurate Documents: Will help ensure that transgender people have access to identity documents that accurately reflect the name and gender that correspond to their gender identity.

AB 1266 (Ammiano) –School Success and Opportunities Act: allows students to participate in school activities and facilities that match their gender identity.

AB 2344 (Ammiano) –Parentage– Creates forms for use in clarifying intended legal parentage when assisted reproduction is used; also eases requirements for stepparent adoption when a spouse/partner gave birth during the marriage/domestic partnership.

AB 2501 (Bonilla) –No More “Gay Panic” Defense: Eliminates the so-called “gay panic” and “trans panic” defenses, tactics used by defendants who claim their violent acts were triggered by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

SB 18 (Leno/Hernandez) –Money for Medi-Cal Renewals: Would require the State to accept $6 million from private foundations to help pay for Medi-Cal renewals.

SB 138 (Leno) –Confidentiality: Specifies how health care providers would be required to maintain confidentiality of adults under 26 years of age who are insured as dependents on another person’s policy.

SB 274 (Leno) –Recognizing Parent-Child Relationships: Allows more than two parents to be legally recognized when it is in the best interest of the child.

SB 912 (Mitchell) –Promoting A Healthy State Vending Policy: Eliminates the sunset in current law, set to expire next year,which requires 35% of foods and beverages sold in vending machines in state buildings to meet minimum nutritional standards.

Important Legislation

Useful Resources

Trans Awareness Week and Trans Day of Remembrance

This week, November 12-19, is recognized as Transgender Awareness Week, a one-week celebration when transgender advocates and community members come together to host events that raise awareness of transgender communities and advocate for the well being of transgender people.​